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Kalasha Awards 2026: Brizan Were’s Nawi wins Best Feature Film
02nd May, 2026 11:22 PM
Kenyan film Nawi, produced by Brizan Were, has emerged as the winner of Best Feature Film at the Kalasha International Film and TV Awards 2026.
The award was presented by President William Ruto, who was among the chief guests at the 14th edition of the Kalasha International Film and TV Awards held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
The win marks a major milestone for the film, which has continued to gain international recognition for its powerful storytelling and social impact themes.
Nawi is a 2024 Kenyan drama inspired by true events, focusing on a young Turkana girl who fights against early marriage.
The story follows the 13-year-old protagonist who discovers that her father plans to marry her off to an older man in exchange for livestock.
Instead of accepting the arrangement, Nawi makes a daring escape on her wedding night and runs away in pursuit of education, setting the stage for a deeply emotional journey centred on hope, resilience, and resistance against harmful cultural practices.
The film, set in rural Turkana, highlights the harsh reality of child marriage in the region, where reports indicate that at least one in four girls is married before the age of 18.
It was developed through a nationwide writing competition aimed at uncovering authentic local stories, with the screenplay written by Milcah Cherotich. The project is a Kenyan-German co-production involving FilmCrew Media GmbH, Baobab Pictures, and the NGO Learning Lions.
Nawi is co-directed by Toby and Kevin Schmutzler, Apuu Mourine, and Vallentine Chelluget, and has been widely praised for its emotional depth and cultural relevance.
The film has also earned international recognition beyond Kenya, including selection as an official submission for the 97th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. It has previously received accolades at the Africa Movie Academy Awards, Rain & Dance, and the Pan African Film Festival.
Beyond film accolades, Nawi is part of a wider social initiative known as the NAWI Initiative, which supports community dialogue through “Nawi Desert Cinemas” and promotes education-focused programs aimed at keeping girls in school.
PICC Award
This came after months of surprising random hustlers on the streets with shopping vouchers, treats to lavish hotels, getaways and at times even monetary support as part of her daily content.
The award was similarly presented to her by President William Ruto.
In a video shared on Instagram, the hall is heard going into sheer silence as the President neared announcing the winner in that category before drum rolls took over after calling out her name.
Shiksha was dressed in a blue gown that had marble embellishments and which had a bare-back design and a floor-length silhouette, allowing her to hold it gracefully while walking to the dais.
She walked gracefully, greeted the President and took her award before also hugging media personality Amina Abdi Rabar, who was the event’s master of ceremony.
Author
Steve Ireri
Steve is a senior writer with over four years of experience in digital journalism. His focus is on the showbiz and human interest stories. Emails: [email protected] , [email protected]
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